What the masks hide
by Silverchild of the winds
Summary: Sequel to Sas (introspective Hb), the next mission takes the group into Hiei'sthe area hiei grew up. complete
1. Default Chapter

I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. This is the sequel to she always smiles, read that first.  
  
-------------------- - ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------  
The Reakai Tantei met at the park to discuss their next case. It seemed like a standard stolen artifact case but as Botan gave the case briefing it began to seem near impossible. The crooks had hidden the artifact underground, in a a frozen Wasteland!!  
  
"This is suicide!! We can't dig through ice or rock!! Yusuke whined.

"We have to fight first. Maybe that will get us through," Kuwabara yelled with gusto. He didn't believe himself but he was always ready for a fight. "Let's go!!"  
  
"Pack for the weather first, we do not want to freeze." Kurama told him.  
  
The three more or less human member the Rekai Tantei went back to their respective homes to pack for the trip. The thoughts of their trouble in completing the mission had driven the fact that they were headed to Hiei's childhood vicinity completely out of mind.  
  
Botan waited until they were gone to drop her cheery mask, "Hiei, are you all right" "The years I spent in that place were torture. I didn't have to deal with the Koorime's superstitious fear of me, but they were scared of my fire heritage anyway. The bandits I traveled with hurt me for it.  
The ferry girl was fingering her hair ribbon again, "fight fire with fire", she whispered remembering all the whippings she had gotten from her town.

"There were some, who didn't and were nice, and I gained quite some affection for them, and even the worst gained some. It's stupid but I don't want to have to kill them." Hiei stopped talking.  
  
He wondered why he so often let go of his coldness and opened his emotions when Botan dropped her cheery mask.  
  
"It's not stupid, I cried for a month after ferrying my father, and even when I had to take the preacher who turned the town against me."  
  
She would have grabbed his hand to comfort him, but Hiei had retreated back into his mask, and she was not going to demand that he take it off when she wouldn't let go of hers. -------------------- ------------------ --------------------- -  
--------------------------- ----- That's the first chapter of the sequel, do you like it?


	2. Concern

I know it took a while to update but I had the school play to keep me busy. I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. =========================================== ===================== == It was the day after Botan had given the Reakai Tantai the briefing for their next case. She was growing impatient, the humans and Kurama, were over an hour late. The ferry girl tried talking to Hiei, but she wasn't surprised when he gave her the cold shoulder.  
The mission has a lot to do with his past, she thought. It really no different then how cheery I acted on our last case. We all have our roles to play. "Hiei, be careful. You saw how tiring my mask was for me. " Botan's whisper was almost too soft for Hiei to hear but he still took it to heart.  
  
There was an awkward silence around the couple for a few minutes, and then the other three group members showed up.  
"Sorry, We're late, Kurama said. It took awhile to pack, considering that we were taking out winter gear in May. Kurama and I had to go to Kuwabara's house so that our Mothers wouldn't get too curious." Yusuke explained.  
  
The normal teasing and joking proceeded except that Hiei didn't once insult Kuwabara, and Botan opened the portal while looking at the flame Koorime with concern. Only Hiei noticed it however, as the others were more concerned with teasing each other and getting themselves and their gear through the portal.  
Why are you looking at me like that?

This is going to be harder on you then the others, be careful "Hn," The flame koorime's emotional walls were up higher than ever, but he was still touched by Botan's remarks. ===================== ================= ======================= Botan is supposed to be ooc when it's just her or just her and Hiei.  
I am not going to apologize for short chapters, their just how I write


	3. The group splits

I do not own YU yu Hakusho.  
  
The spirit detective and his team had come through the portal into Makai. (Hiei had left the group shortly after arriving , but his absence was overlooked. Indeed it wasw to be expected.) over an hour ago and had not yet seen even the merest sign of life in the frozen wastelands they had come to. Botan had kept up her cheeryness for awhile bit biy now even she was silent.

Man, I want to fight."

"Kuwabara, I know that." Yusuke muttered, although he felt the same way. "Don't make me beat you before we reach our destination.  
"You couldn't."

The boys started fighting and Botan slipped away, leaving Kurama to be the peace keeper. No one had thought Hiei's absence out of the ordinary but she went to find him anyway...  
  
"It's the lack of life here that has gotten you." Kurama cut in, as the humans brushed themselves off. "We are the only living things in this area. Well at least we packed for the cold, or this place would be even less enjoyable."

The fox demon was playing Botan's role as the optimist, for allthough he wasn't that way he'd seen how effective it could be.  
Kurama was right about the winter gear. The group was comfortable now but they had all felt the bitter cold upon emerging from the portal.  
  
Kuwabara still wanted to fight.

"Hey, Botan where did the crooks hide the artifact? Is it close?"  
  
He didn't get an answer, but Kurama and Yusuke both heard him.  
  
"She must have left us when you two were fighting."

"worried about her shorty, How sweet." Kuawbara remarked. Both of the other boys shushed their friend.  
  
================ ========================== ==================== =====  
  
Botan found Hiei after twenty minutes on her oar. He was staring into a river with a fierce expression, not nuch unlike What she had worn as Jenna after the fisrt time she had been blamed for a death. "What's wrong?"  
"Hn"  
Botan was unfazed although her cheeriness had left her. "What's wrong?"  
Hiei pointed to a ramshackle garden that was as lifeless as everything else. "This was a nice place. The rest of the area was always frozen but the stream and the garden never did. I was friends with the girl who tended the garden; she was killed for associating with a forbidden child."  
Hiei suddenly realized how different he was sounding and immediately put his tough façade on.  
  
"So that's why you seem to hate us, you're afraid that caring for you hurts people." Hiei didn't answer anymore than to move away, confirming that Botan had hit the nail on its head.  
  
"It's a pretty foolish notion to think that way" Botan had forgotten how often she felt like she caused her friends suffering, and that she never thought her self foolish then.


	4. Paulita

I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho  
  
Botan looked at the ruined garden Hiei had pointed out to her. It was a mess but she could see that it had once been a beautiful place. The remnants of Makai flowers and vegetables, plus plants that she had cultivated as Jenna such as Old sweet peas, mint leaves, radishes and sunflowers were all over the place.  
She couldn't pull her gaze away from the ruined beauty in front of her. While Botan was looking at his friend's garden, Hiei was remembering the girl who had lived there.  
=============================================================== The group of bandits was tired and hungry, the three eyed boy in the back most of all. "How long has it been since I got this eye put in? More than a month that's for sure. I thought my energy would be back by now. (For the story's sake, Hiei had his jagan implanted when he was the demon equivalent of a four year old. I would say that in maturity at the time of the story he would be around fifteen) his energy was totally drained but Hiei knew that if he didn't keep walking along he would be abandoned and die in the cold for sure. (It would have taken him quite some time to built up invulnerability to the cold)  
Luck was with the group of demon bandits, a seemingly human girl appeared in front of them. Come, she beckoned; I have plenty of food for you in my garden.  
After his belly was satisfied, Hiei strayed out to the garden.

He saw that the girl from earlier was tending her garden. He had never seen a garden before but it seemed to be a nice place and the girl seemed to love it. Indeed she seemed so engrossed that he was startled when she spoke to him.

"Do you like it, boy?" The girl seemed friendly enough.

"Yes, my name is Hiei"

"Paulita"

And thus began a close friendship that lasted until the girl was killed two(demon equivilant) years later. As Hiei had heard that she was killed for being friends with a forbidden one, he refused to get close to anyone again. The attraction he felt to Botan frightened him to no end for the fact that he did not want to hurt her.  
-------------- --------------------------- ================================ He was shaken out of his memory's by the foresaid ferry girl.  
  
"Sunflowers? In a frozen wasteland?" Botan didn't realize she had spoken out loud until Hiei answered.  
  
"They grew in abundance when Paulita was alive. She was a practical girl most of the time but refused to give up on her sunflowers. She taught me the charm she used to keep it sunny but I never was as good as her.  
  
"So that's how you kept the woods sunny before Yusuke fought Goki. This girl, Paulita, taught you the spell.  
"Yes", hiei's face filled with guilt. "She told me when they took her that I should use it to keep her garden and the river alive, instead the spell she taught me nearly caused Yusuke's death.  
  
"What about the river?" Botan asked him. "Was that you or Paulita?"

"I managed to keep that from freezing over although I can't undo things that have already frozen."

Hiei tensed before deciding to go on.  
"And Botan, they would have hidden the artifact down the river, no one can dig through anywhere else here."  
  
Hiei stopped talking and just hung his head over. He really didn't want to destroy all that was left of his first friend's home, but could see no alternative. He lost control of his emotions and began to cry.  
  
Botan had never seen Hiei so emotional before, and she gathered his tear gems up right away. She knew that the others would find them soon, so she slapped his face and caused his mask to go up again. She couldn't explain why the urge to kiss him was so strong. ================================================================== About the kiss, everyone thinks that what's going on between Hiei and Botan is just a crush, including her at this point. Yusuke and Hiei know his feelings, they saw him watch over her at the end of my last story. So that would be real love.


	5. Masks of sun and of ice

"Uh oh, did I just slap Hiei?" Botan thought to herself, "that's scary, but I can't believe I wanted to kiss him!"  
  
Hiei stopped crying when he felt the ferry girl's hand sting his face. Botan had succeeded in slapping him out of his grief. The flame koorime started to reach for the Bluettes hand, and then thought better of it.

"After all she could end up like Paulita did, It's best not to get to close." Hiei thought out loud.  
"I don't know about that," Botan was fiddling with ther hair ribbon again. "It was hard enough to let go of Lily when I had loved her and knew her well. I don't think that I would have been willing to go home last time if I hadn't done all I could for her when we were alive." She paused to breathe before continuing, "Now in your case, we all know how well you protect Yukina. You have nothing to be guilty about there."  
Hiei considered what Botan had just told him as he helped her tie her ribbon back in. He didn't think that he was good enough to his twin, but couldn't help being relieved that Botan hadn't realized that he had been talking about her.

"Thanks" she said surprised by how gentle Hiei's touch was.

"hn"

Hiei's icy mask had slipped back on. Botan recognized it immediatly, and asked him not to hide his feelings so much.

Well, to be honest she didin't exactly ask.   
"HIEI, DONT HIDE YOUR FEELINGS SO MUCH!! IT IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU."

Hiei acted as if he hadn't heard, but he knew she was right. If The flame Koorime didn;t know better than to insult a mad Botan he would have retorted, "Yeah, from seeing what it did to you," Even thinking such a thought made Hiei feel guilty, so he lied to himself and thought, "But I don't hide my feelings, I destroy them."

He was still clinging ot his mask. Botan gave a heavy sigh, She had been enjoying Hiei's (unmasked) company, even if He was distraught over Paulita's death. "I think I will see if she got to the spirit world allright once we complete this misison." she said to herself.

Botan didn't mean to mask herself but when she heard Kuwabara saying that he sensed Hiei, Botan's cheery one slipped on.   
Kazuma and the other humans turned towards the flame koorime and the ferry girl. Kurama was the first to speak. "What exactly are we looking for?"  
  
"It's called the pendant of pleasantries, "If you look at it for any amount of time it makes the most unpleasant things seem to be nice."  
  
"So, if we can't see it how do we know what we are looking for?"  
  
"I don't know." Botan had put on her kitty ears, and the sunny dispostion that she had been stereotyped too.  
  
"It's hidden around here" Kurama told the others, "or that's what the plants say"  
  
"Well," Kazuma remarked while digging up the remains of Paulita's garden,"We have to find it." "I hate it when you're right." Hiei grumbled but his mask of ice hid the pain he felt at digging through his first friends home.


	6. Painful memorys of friendship

As the Reakai Tantei dug through Paulita's garden, memories of the girl floated through Hiei's head. He remembered how he and Paulita had spent hours playing under her sunflowers; eating the sweet peas she tended laughing as the picked form her vegetable garden. The flame koorime remembered how Paulita had trusted him fully and he had trusted her in return.  
  
"Some trust" Hiei muttered under his breath." "It got her killed.

"Hiei let me show you something" The flame koorime had snuck away from his group of bandits and was helping Paulita tend her garden.  
"What, What What?!!!" Hiei demanded, sounding like the child that he was.  
  
"This!" the garden immediately became sunny and Paulita admired her handiwork. "I don't have to use that old rock for light anymore.

"Really!? That's great!!"

Hiei had seen the rock Paulita used for light. Both children often had to struggle under the wait of the stone and Paulita had so many scars from it that they looked like huge tattoos.  
  
"I can show you how" It was a few minutes before the boy and girl could both control at least a little but of light and warmth.  
  
Hiei grimaced as he remembered the next week, when he had once again snuck away from the thieves. This time he and Paulita were just laughing as kids do. The bandits had come towards them with weapons in the hand. Hiei heard them and tried to push Paulita out of the way, and hide himself. But of course the kids were caught. The bandits dragged Paulita away. "Take care of my garden for me" she whispered to Hiei.

Hiei had never gone back to the place where he had spent so many hours of fun, friendship and laughter. After the scare of losing Paulita, of having her killed to punish him, Hiei had pulled away from everyone and become a hard shell. The flame koorime had never even let himself laugh or smile though sometimes he couldn't help smiling around Botan and the other team members he trusted.;I'll just get them hurt Hiei thought to himself. He hadn't even tried to cherish Paulita's memory. And he had let the garden die in the years afterwards and could almost hear her angry voice shouting

"Hiei Hiei Hiei HIEI!!"

The flame Koorime Jumped when he realized that he did hear someone screaming his name. "We found a way down." It was Botan who had been calling, she pointed toward an area that had once grown carrots in abundance. Hiei acted like he didn't feel a thing as he entered the tunnel. But he was quite relieved to hear Botan say softly, "I saved the sunflower patch, and some of the flowers are still alive.


	7. Cursed demons

I don't own yuyu Hakusho. I dont own the characters but I own the ideas for Lily and Paulita. I don't want to own it I like being a writer of fics

it was dark in the tunnel and the Reakai Tantei had proceeded cautiously but found nothing of danger, and sped up the pace. In fact it was rather easygoing, so that they were shocked when Yusuke tripped and fell, "Who put a vine there." He muttered "I don't think it's a vine." Botan's voice sounded tense.  
  
"She's right, said the supposed vine, I'm, a demon by the name of Thager. Thager then seemed to turn on a light so that the group could get a good look at him. He looked like a tiger with the orange stripe fur and the whole felines build. He sported many teeth and had a tail that had ship leaves allover it.It was the tail that Yusuke had tripped over. "You would be after Emma's pendent, right?"  
"Yes" Kurama answered, clearly trying to see if Thager was to be trusted. "Don't go after it, the pendent grants your wishes, but all of them all the ones you ever have had."  
The group was awestruck by this news, not one of them could count all the wishes that certain individual had had.  
  
"So how do you know about this thing?" Kuwabara asked. "Used it myself to try and kill the impostors in the next area, but I couldn't do it before the thieves of the vault got the pendent from me and I couldn't finish the job."  
  
Suddenly the tiger demon was up and attacking Botan. Yusuke charged his shotgun, but Hiei killed Thager in a flash. "In his book we are also imposters" (and we are, at least in the garden) he added silently.  
  
"Thank you" Botan whispered, "He would have killed me if you hadn't gotten him first" There were three more encounters with demons that had wished on the pendent but they were quickly disposed of by the team. The pendent seemed to weaken its users as well, and everyone of the tantai was aware of the fact that he would probably use it.  
  
After a while the Reakai Tantei decided to set up camp. There was no problem with finding food though. In fact Botan had to goad the full humans into eating their veggies.  
"Yes, Mother" But yusukes tone was friendly and Botan knew him well enough to be flattered by the mother comment.  
Hiei excused himself as soon as possible. Being used to Hiei acting anti social nobody worried until he had been gone for half the night. None of the others noticed Botan slip out of the campsite and head back the way they had come from.


	8. trust

I don't own the Yu Yu Hakusho, and never will. I do own the plot of the story.

=====================================================================

As soon as Hiei had finished eating he ran back to his old friend's garden. A quick once over of his surroundings showed that although most of the plants had died, more than half of its beauty had been preserved in shape. The vines that he and Paulita had once played under, had grayed but somehow were still intact. Hiei found himself thinking, "Yukina would love it here."

A new wave of guilt washed over the flame Koorime thoughts. He hadn't even thought much about his sister, let alone protect her from whatever danger might approach her in the week since the last mission. In Hiei's mind Yukina was always in danger, she trusted too easily.

As had Paulita. Hiei could still see the girl inviting strangers to share her food on the day when they had first met. He could see her inviting him to come, and play, and could vividly see how his friend had trusted him to never harm her, even when she was killed, and the little fire demon who held himself responsible for her death had stood by and not dared too shed a single tear.

It hadn't been long afterwards that Hiei started being cold to everyone, both so that he wouldn't hurt others, and so he wouldn't get hurt. Somewhere (forgotten by everyone) along the line he had allowed himself to become a fully wicked assassin. Hiei winced at the memory of the artifacts case. He had used Keiko against yusuke in the same way that Paulita had been killed to punish him.

Although he denied it Hiei was quite fond of the other detectives, and his feelings for Botan, well He didn't know what he felt for her, except that he was comforted when she was near him and not acting.

"I wish the ferry girl was here" Hiei muttered, shocking himself with a wish for campany.

"I am" The ferry girls voice was gentle and affectionate," I've been here for five minutes while you were daydreaming" Botan's eyes were serious for once and she was basically showing her true concern.

"I's fine to miss your friend, but don't t....." Hieis mind speak stopped her short.

Don't torture myself over it? After how you have been over Your sister, your not one to speak 

botan stopped herself from her meowing habit. "lily would have loved this garden. Please tell what Paulita was like"

Hiei's mask slipped offf again and , He told the whole story.

After a few moments of silence Hiei spoke. "How can you and the Rest of the Tantei trust me, especially after us meeting as enemies?"

"You haven't betrayed us once, and trust is always a risk anyway"

Than feeling the same way about Hiei as he did with her, she continued

"Besides I Care for you."

Instead of replying Hiei Moved in and a confused couple found themselves in a tight embrace.

====================================================================


	9. strains for a realtionship

The flame koorime and the ferry both awake at the of dawn and jumped out of the embrace. Botan was about to say something but she heard Hiei's voice. He was talking to the sunfloweres so Botna knew he was thinking outloud, so she decided to eavesdrop.

"It was wonderful, just to be alone with her. I almost forgot that I can't get close to anyone without hurting him or her. But the garden, I always forgot that I wasn't wanted when I was here. I don't want to cause Botan anymore pain than I already have.

Botan was touched, but Hiei's words brought back the guilt she had for her little sister and who knew how many others had suffered from her actions, both as Botan and Jenna.

"Hiei I think I know what you mean. Even the most superstitious folk never thought Jenna that different when I went by that name and used to work in the gardens with the other children. But when people died I was always blamed. So I ran away and it cost my sister her life.

Botan was crying. In truth she still blamed herself for all that she had put her sister through. "You didn't make her f follow you. Lily could have stayed at her home if she chose." Hiei's voice was sharp. "And even though you did kill her, it saved her from a worse fate."

He had to rush the words out because the couple was attacked by a demon they hadn't seen before. Or at least Botan hadn't.

So Hiei, You're back, the creature that had appeared before them was rather humanoid, but his skin was purple, and he was 20 feet tall. Not to mention long vine like tendrils that seemed to out from the body and ended in sharp blades and pincer type things.

Nimshaygo! Hiei gasped, recognizing one of the thief lord's top cronies.

Yes that is right and since you killed most of the gang I think I will kill your friend.


	10. Fighting nimshaygo

No I am not dead, we moved and it was a while be fore the internet was up.

Disclaimor I don't own yyh

Hiei remembered all the pain he had suffered form this very demon who had threatened Botan. The flame koorime had been Nimshaygo's whipping boy. And even after killing the rest of the bandits Hiei had known that this one was to powerful for him to defeat.

Worse, it was easy to tell that Nimshaygo had grown more powerful during the years since Hiei had left his gang.

"Ah yes, little one," Nimshaygo taunted, "I see you know that you can't defeat me."

The larger demon was heading towards Botan. "I can kill her right where I killed your other friend.

Hiei regained mobility and leapt at his enemy. The reference to Paulita's death and the sight of Nimshaygo moving towards Botan was enough to provoke him in to an attack.

Nimshaygo swiped and missed clawing Hiei. Hiei jumped again landing his sword at the other demons shoulder. The large demon took another swipe with his blades. This time it hit and Hiei's sword arm started to bleed.

Botan stopped watching the fight. She stood nearby and started to throw rocks at the purple demon. The stones did not hurt him, of course, but Nimshaygo was distracted just long enough for the ferry girl and flame koorime to get to the entrance opening in the garden and into the tunnel without being seen.

Botan quickly did a heal job on Hiei's arm. Of course he didn't thank her for the healing or distracting the other demon; he thought that being indifferent was safer for everyone. It was an understandable feeling; given that most of the rekai tantai's enemy's tried to use their emotions against them.


	11. dangerous wishes

I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, Heck we cut cabel, so I can't even watch it anymore. That's part of why this chapter took so long to get up. the other part is writers block

The couple returned to campwhere the others were just waking up.

"Where were you two?" The speaker was Kurama of course, the younger boys were still trying to sleep.

"Around." Botan replied, I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk and you how Hiei is. Never stays around." She kicked Yusuke and he scrambled out of his bedroll.

Why'd you kick me?"

"It got you out of bed"

He sent her a death glare.

"Meow"

Hiei was still brooding over the events of the night. I don't want to get close to anyone, he thought,it would hurt both of us. I saw what happened to Paulita and the ruin of her garden. I reaaly don't want to hurt Botan that way. Whne Nimshaygo showed up, he really was going to kill her.

Even when Hiei was thinking of those depressing things he couldn't help noticing how pretty the ferrygirl was as she kicked Kuwabara awake.

The rekai tantai ate a quick breakfast while discussing the plans for the day. Everyone agreed that they should go after the artifact. Indeed Kurama had to keep Yusuke from rushing ahead and going after the thief.

"We, have to be careful of the wishes it grants, remember?"

The detective sat down with a sheepish grin,. "oh yeah."

Krama was calm as he went on, it would grant wishes that you don't even know you wished. The pendant cannot be safely handled"

Kuwabara spoke, "I don't understand how we are to get the thing if we cant even touch it."

"You don't understand anything." Hiei quipped, while thinking that the redhead was right. The couldn't do their job if they couldn't touch the item to retrieve.

"Well at least I am not like you."

That last one hurt. It was true. Hiei looked away and his eyes landed on Botan, she was fiddling with her hair ribbon again. How many times had Jenna heards the same insult, Lily had been the only one who didn't tell her how glad she was not to be like her.

Your sister is happy now, you said that yourself>

Botan nodded but, "I'd wish her back and probably land her where she couldn't mangage" she whispered.

"We stiil need to find it."

They joined the others and proceeded to search the demons for the pendant.

A menacing voice stoped that Tantai in their tracks, Looking for this? Nimshaygo asked.


	12. final fight

"You again!" Botan gasped.

"Yes, and you need to go through me to get this." Nimshaygo was holding up a small leather pouch which apparently held the pendent.

"Well at least we know how to hold it" Yusuke observed. As Kuwabara started to attack and went flying instantly. He landed practically on top of Hiei.

"Shorty, what's wrong" The flame koorime had gone pale.

"Paulita."

* * *

Hiei watched though a hole in the wall. Nimshaygo was grinning down at Paulita. The girl was obviously scared, and she kept whimpering.

"Coward" another demon told her. "You haven't been hurt yet."

Not hurt! Hiei thought in disbelief, I saw you kick her and punch her and even use a few daggers on her. How can she not be hurt?

Neither demon moved, and Paulita scared as she was, struck out against her captors. She ran to Nimshaygo and kicked him as hard as only a little girl can. The demon didn't even flinch but sent the girl flying.

She hit the wall hard. Hiei could see that she had been tortured. Her right arm looked like it had been broken several times, and then someone had unsuccessfully tried to pull it off. He could tell that they had broken at least a few of his friend's ribs and open wounds trickled blood all over her body.

"Hello Hiei." she whispered with a smile, and then died. He couldn't believe that she was smiling at him. It was his fault that Paulita had been killed. If he hadn't been playing with her, she would still be alive and caring for her garden. Now Paulita was a bloody broken corpse.

"I am the forbidden child after all." The flame koorime told himself.

About an hour later messengers came and told him, "Your friend is dead"

"I know she's dead" Hiei hissed. I saw it"

He lost control and killed the messengers, then killed the rest of the bandits. Or rather he tried to; it took all he had to escape Nimshaygo in one piece.

* * *

The battle was going badly. Kurama was unable to touch Nimshaygo with his standard weapons and the death plants would destroy the pendant as well. Yusuke at least could get in a few hit s with the spirit gun but their foe seemed to be wounded to the point of maybe needing a band aid. The boys were bruised all over form his attacks.

Botan reached Hiei as soon as Kuwabara got back into the battle.

"He killed her because of me"

"Like Lily was trapped"

"No, look you failed to protect your sister and she went after you. Paulita was killed just because she was my friend. There is a difference."

"I killed my sister, literally"

"I don't want anyone else to die on my account" Hiei admitted.

"I know" Botan slipped her hand into his." So keep us alive"

That brought him to his senses. Hiei released the dragon of the darkness flame. Nimshaygo banished so did the leather case around the pendant.

Botan ran toward it. Then she grabbed peony weaving Lily had given her, and scooped the pendant up into it.

Why did you give that up? Yusuke asked her. I just didn't want to stay here any longer and hat was the only way we could avoid contact with it." Not to mention that Hiei shouldn't have to stay here to torture himself more, she added silently.

Really Onna why do you care about me so much

The ferry girl walked back to Hiei and kissed him.

Does that answer your question; I realized I loved you when Nimshaygo attacked us last night

He nodded, and then he smiled at her.

It was good to smile without restraint


End file.
